One of my first employers told me, “Wayne, you can’t know everything, but you can know how to find out!” That has been a key to my success and can be a key to yours as well. Feel comfortable to say “I don’t know, but I will find out and get back to you.”
Your employer likes this positive approach. It shows that you are not going to fake your way to an answer and that you are a seeker of correct facts. It also shows that you do 
your homework no matter what the subject.
Your education should provide you with the knowledge and skills to use the information you find. If you are writing your answers, you can always use the APA way of referencing the sources you use in that correspondence.
An employer should not expect you to know everything since the world is rapidly changing. The employer does, however, expect you to know how to find out and to use that information wisely based on your educational skills and knowledge. You can even tutor yourself on difficult subjects or topics of personal interest with the same tool.
The Web is the answer to this dilemma. The tool is Google, more specifically, iGoogle. In the Google Search box, type Google Advanced. A panel of boxes will open for you. At the top, type in the topic you wish to search in terms as narrow as possible. Toward the bottom of the list of boxes will be one called “Format”. Go into this box and select ppt or PowerPoint. Since PowerPoints have to communicate in few words, this is the fastest way to get information. Each search should provide at least 20 presentations, among which at least several will be clear and answer you question. If you have time, you can search text rather than PowerPoints. Text references will provide much more information for you. Remember reliable references should be used from reputable journals, books and persons in a position to be an expert on the subject.
Let me know your thoughts and comments by adding them below. Also let those of us reading your comments know how you used this technique, how many useful results you found and what your final answer was. Maybe you went to sites that would be of interest to all of us.
Author Bio
C. Wayne Geiselman, PhD, MBA, is an Associate Dean of Business for the Online Department of Stevens-Henager College. Previously he was Associate Dean for Business, Computer Science and General Education at an affiliated college, California College San Diego (CCSD). In addition, he has been a strategic marketing and business development consultant in his own firm, ComFund International, since 1986, working with over 60 diverse technology companies from start-ups to the Global 500 in multiple fields. His corporate experience includes global eCommerce management positions at CommerceOne, KPMG and Pacific Bell (SBC). Earlier in his career, he held consumer marketing and technical pharmaceutical management positions with Warner-Lambert (now Pfizer), Abbott Laboratories and Purdue Pharma. Dr. Geiselman’s education includes an MBA in International Business (Finance & Economics) from Fairleigh-Dickinson University, a PhD from the University of Connecticut in Life Sciences (Natural Products Chemistry), an MS in Pharmacognosy (Natural Drug Products Chemistry) from The Ohio State University and a BS in Pharmacy from the University of Mississippi.
